Before the Emergency Call: Why Spay & Neuter Matters in the Black Hills
By Bobbi Jo Aune, Hobo’s Healing Heart Board Member
Every February, animal welfare organizations across the country recognize Spay and Neuter Month, but here in the Black Hills, this conversation isn’t theoretical—it’s deeply personal.
At Hobo’s Healing Heart, we exist to help families when the unthinkable happens: a beloved pet faces a sudden, life-threatening medical emergency, and finances stand in the way of care. We step in during moments of crisis. But over the years, we’ve also learned a hard truth—many of the emergencies we’re asked to help with could have been prevented.
That’s why spaying and neutering matters so deeply to our mission.
What We See on the Ground in the Black Hills
Veterinary care in rural and semi-rural communities like ours can be expensive—and often limited by availability, distance, and emergency access. When pets experience reproductive-related emergencies, the costs can escalate rapidly, sometimes reaching several thousand dollars within hours.
One of the most common—and devastating—examples is pyometra, a severe uterine infection that occurs in unspayed female dogs and cats. Pyometra is a true medical emergency. Without immediate surgery, it is often fatal. Even with treatment, the surgery is complex, risky, and costly.
We’ve seen families blindsided by this diagnosis—people who deeply love their pets, who simply didn’t realize the risk of leaving an animal unspayed.
Spay & Neuter: A Lifesaving Act of Responsible Pet Ownership
Spaying and neutering isn’t just about preventing litters. It’s about protecting your pet’s long-term health and reducing the likelihood of catastrophic emergencies.
Spaying female pets:
Eliminates the risk of pyometra
Greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer
Prevents complications related to heat cycles and pregnancy
Neutering male pets:
Eliminates testicular cancer
Reduces prostate disease
Decreases roaming lessening the risk of a lost pet and injury risks from traffic
In a region like the Black Hills—where wildlife, rural roads, and limited emergency resources already pose risks—these preventative steps can truly be lifesaving.
Supporting Pets, Families, and Our Community
Spaying and neutering also strengthens our entire community:
Fewer unwanted litters reduce shelter overcrowding
Lower stray populations mean fewer vehicle accidents and disease spread
Animal welfare resources can be used more effectively and sustainably
When pet owners take proactive steps, it helps ensure organizations like Hobo’s Healing Heart can remain available for the emergencies that truly cannot be prevented.
Why Prevention Matters to Hobo’s Healing Heart
Hobo’s Healing Heart was founded to help families facing unexpected, unavoidable emergencies. As veterinary costs have risen and the need for our assistance has grown, we’ve had to make thoughtful, mission-aligned decisions to ensure we can continue helping as many families as possible.
Because of the high cost and preventable nature of certain conditions, Hobo’s Healing Heart no longer provides financial assistance for health issues directly related to not spaying or neutering a pet, including pyometra.
This decision was not made lightly.
Covering preventable reproductive emergencies would significantly limit our ability to assist families whose pets are facing trauma, sudden illness, or life-threatening conditions that could not have been avoided. Prevention allows us to direct our limited funds where they are needed most—when there truly was no way to see the emergency coming.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
At Hobo’s Healing Heart, compassion and responsibility go hand in hand. We believe caring for pets also means making informed choices that protect them from unnecessary suffering.
This Spay & Neuter Month—and every month—we encourage pet owners in the Black Hills to talk with their veterinarian, explore low-cost spay/neuter options, and take this powerful step toward prevention.
Because the best emergency is the one that never happens.
